Brunswick County fire fees are increasing

BRUNSWICK COUNTY -- While fire fees will be increasing this year to help struggling fire departments receive more money, a commission has been created to help find a long-term funding solution for the county’s fire departments.

Brunswick County Commissioners recently approved creation of the Brunswick County Fire Commission, which will be composed of 19 members including commissioners, residents and representatives of fire service organizations from each fire district.

The commission will be analyzing best practices for fire departments, as well as “different ways of doing things,” said Brian Watts, the county’s emergency services director.

“As an example, if a department feels that they need to build a new fire station, it would be this commission’s responsibility to analyze the data and see where a new fire station would need to be done and things like that,” Watts said.

Before the commission, Watts said what was in place was “22 different fire departments going in 22 different directions.”

“This is going to help us start the process of moving in one direction,” he said.

Though the commission will be focused on a number of issues, its first task will be finding a long-term funding solution for the county fire departments. A state bill has been passed allowing Brunswick County to increase fire fees by 25 percent, but Watts said the measure is only a temporary solution to the county’s funding problem.

Watts said the commission is going to be charged with weighing the few funding options available for fire departments. He said the commission will consider each funding option and decide which is best.

County Commissioner Randy Thompson said he believes the makeup of the commission board will bring diversity to the discussion on how the county can grow its fire services to address future needs “that we know exist.”

Thompson said after 17 years of the fire fee system being in place, he believes it might be time to start looking at a different funding approach.

“I think the group will look at a number of different things and I think they’ll be making some recommendations back to the commissioners in hopes that we build a stronger fire service system for Brunswick County,” Thompson said.

While assembling the commission will take the next couple of months, Watts said he hopes to have a funding solution presented to commissioners by the end of 2017.

Reporter Makenzie Holland can be reached at 910-343-2371 or Makenzie.Holland@StarNewsOnline.com.

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